Advertise on podcast: School for School Counselors Podcast

You hold a master’s degree. You studied crisis intervention, psychopathology, and therapeutic technique. So why is your profession still fighting to be seen as essential? It doesn’t have to stay this way- but the window is closing. In this episode, I lay out two possible futures for school counseling: one that ends in irrelevance, and one where we finally become the campus influence we were meant to be. What’s pushing us toward the wrong path isn’t what most counselors think. And fixing it will require a shift few are talking about. Stop being helpful. Start being undeniable. ******** Join our new Skool for School Counselors community  ******** Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ******** All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

Most school counselors aren’t ineffective. They’re mis-measured. In this episode, Steph challenges one of the profession’s most sacred assumptions and names something about her own work that most counselors wouldn’t dare say out loud. This conversation explores what it means to do catalytic work in a system obsessed with finished products, and why that mismatch is costing counselors their confidence. ********************************* Join the next-level conversation in my Substack. ********************************* Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************* All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

Caring is what makes you good at this job. It’s also what puts you in the most danger. If you’re a school counselor who still cares deeply about students, but you’ve noticed yourself feeling flatter, heavier, or more guarded than you used to- this episode is for you. You’re still showing up.  Still doing the work.  But the caring itself has started to weigh on you, and you don’t know why. In this episode, I talk about a kind of exhaustion that doesn’t come from being busy or overwhelmed. It builds from sitting with hard stories, holding emotional weight, and being the safe place for everyone else inside a role that rarely offers closure or relief. This isn’t about burnout. It’s about the unspoken cost of compassion in school counseling. If you’ve ever thought, "Something feels wrong, but I don’t know how to name it," this conversation will help make it make sense. ********************************* Episodes I referred to: Ep. 87- Some of the Best School Counseling Advice I've Ever Heard Ep. 180- The Question School Counselors NEVER Get Asked Ep. 181- Why School Counselors Are So Tired (It’s Not Burnout) ********************************* Join the next-level conversation in my Substack. ********************************* Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************* All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

If you’re exhausted in a way that rest doesn’t fix, this episode is for you. School counselors are often told they’re burned out, so they’re handed self-care tips, boundary advice, and mindset shifts that never quite work. There’s a reason for that. In this episode, I unpack the research that shows what school counselors are actually dealing with- and why calling it burnout misses the point. When you name the real problem, the way you relate to your exhaustion, your work, and your expectations changes completely. ********************************* Join the next-level conversation in my Substack. ********************************* Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************* All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

School counselors are told to: Be flexibleMake it workAdvocate harderAnd somehow still be accountable for everything. But what if the real problem isn’t your mindset- or your effort? In this episode, Steph Johnson revisits an early message from the podcast and names what was missing. She explains why reassurance has a shelf life, how guilt gets mistaken for professionalism, and why endurance keeps getting rewarded in roles that were never built to work. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about seeing the job for what it actually is. ********************************* Join the next-level conversation in my Substack. ********************************* Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************* All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

Why does everything at school seem to turn into a competition...  and why does it so often become a school counseling issue? In this episode of the School for School Counselors Podcast, we explore what’s really happening when students compete over small moments and why school counselors are frequently asked to intervene even when there’s no clear behavior problem.  We look at the neurological and social drivers behind competitive behavior, how these moments get misread by adults, and how that misinterpretation quietly increases the workload and pressure placed on school counselors. This episode isn’t about strategies, tools, or interventions. It’s about understanding the pattern beneath the referrals. If you’re a school counselor who feels pulled into situations that don’t quite make sense- but still feel urgent- this conversation will help you see what’s actually happening before the response gets triggered. ********************************* Join the next-level conversation in my Substack. ********************************* Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************* All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

Everyone was laughing... until suddenly someone wasn’t. Learn how "burns" work, why it’s usually mutual until it isn’t, and how to know when it’s time to shift from counseling to consequences. Burn culture shows up in those fast, sarcastic exchanges where students trade “jokes” for laughs, status, and social footing... until someone becomes the cost of the humor.  In this episode, we unpack why these moments feel so hard to respond to in real time, how adolescent peer dynamics fuel them, and how school counselors can step in with confidence when the line has clearly been crossed. ********************************* Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************* All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

Why do some students wait until school counselors are walking out the door before they finally open up? It’s not randomness, and it’s definitely not manipulation. It’s nervous system timing, and understanding it will change the way you interpret those 3:24 p.m. confessions forever. In this episode, Steph Johnson breaks down the neurobiology behind “drive-by disclosures” and explains why so many students can only share the hard stuff after the bell rings. You’ll learn: • Why nervous system safety rises at the end of the school day • How control and autonomy shape when students speak • The role attachment patterns play in last-minute disclosures • How to tell the difference between a disclosure and a true crisis • What to do in the moment- without sacrificing your boundaries Most importantly, you’ll hear a grounded, clinical explanation of why students trust you most at the exact moment you feel least available. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why now?” this episode finally gives you the answer. ********************************* Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************* All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

The hoodie isn’t the problem. It’s the messages we’re missing. In this episode, Steph Johnson takes you inside one of the most misunderstood behaviors on a school campus: the kids who cover up, layer up, or hide inside hoodies no matter the temperature.  Using research from adolescent psychology, sensory science, trauma, school anxiety, and identity development, Steph explains what hoodie behavior really communicates… and why school counselors are uniquely positioned to decode it. ********************************* Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************* All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

Those hallway TikTok routines are saying something, school counselor- and it’s not what you think. In this episode, we decode what those repeated dance loops reveal about belonging, status, and the adolescent brain.  You’ll learn how synchronized movement functions as a social signal and why these micro-performances can be early indicators of connection, pressure, or exclusion on your campus. If you’ve ever walked past a TikTok trend at school and wondered what you’re really seeing, this episode gives you the insight you’ve been missing. ********************************* Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************* All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

“Rizz.” “Bet.” “Six-Seven.” Sounds like noise... but it’s not. In this episode of the School for School Counselors Podcast, Steph Johnson breaks down what teen slang really means, and how it maps your campus culture in ways most adults never notice. You’ll hear the neuroscience behind why slang sticks, the social psychology that makes it powerful, and how school counselors can use it to spot who’s connecting… and who’s slipping through the cracks. If you’ve ever smiled and nodded through a phrase you didn’t understand, this one’s for you. ********************************** Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

Some counselors never have to fight for their role- or explain their worth.  That’s not luck. It’s skill. In this episode, you’ll learn how the most respected school counselors earn trust, keep influence, and make their programs untouchable, no “advocacy” required. ********************************** Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  ********************************** This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

Students refusing school isn’t new... but what’s happening now is different. Across the country, nearly one in three students is missing ten percent or more of the school year. And while everyone’s blaming “attendance apathy” or “bad parenting,” the truth is a lot more complicated. In this episode, I talk about what school refusal really is- and what it’s not. You’ll learn the four hidden drivers behind school avoidance, how to spot them, and exactly what school counselors can do (without becoming the attendance police). We’ll also talk about the conversations no one wants to have, like what to do when it’s the parent keeping the student home, or when a student says flat-out, “I just don’t want to go.” This isn’t another pep talk about attendance incentives. It’s a grounded, evidence-based roadmap for helping kids come back to school- and want to stay there. ********************************** ⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us!  As mentioned in the episode, use code OCTOBER 25 for a limited time.⭐️ ********************************** Where to go next, depending on what you need today... NEW → Grab my free ​Secret Series for School Counselors​- Six short stories about what no one’s willing to say in school counseling Listen to more of the​ School for School Counselors Podcast​- Real talk and honest insights for school counselors tired of pretending it’s all fine ​Join the School for School Counselors Mastermind​- The professional home for school counselors who love the job… and want to keep their sanity This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

October hits different, doesn’t it? One week you’re flying high after a student breakthrough, and the next- you’re wondering if you can even make it to Friday. In this episode, I’m talking about the rollercoaster of school counseling: why it feels impossible to stay grounded this time of year, what’s really fueling the highs and lows, and three sanity-saving ways to keep your footing when everything around you feels like too much. We’ll get real about the myths we’ve bought into (like thinking we’re supposed to “fix” everything or perfectly follow the ASCA model) and what it actually looks like to stay centered when the job gets heavy. If you’ve been questioning whether you’re cut out for this work… this conversation might change how you see yourself (and the season you’re in). ********************************** ⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️ This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

The radio call comes in. A student’s refusing to move, and suddenly, everyone’s looking at you to fix it. Here’s what nobody ever told us in grad school: defiance and dysregulation can look the same from the outside, but they require completely different responses. This episode gives you a clear, evidence-based way to figure out the difference, match the right tool to the right circumstance, and keep your cool when the pressure’s on. References Corrigan, F. M., Fisher, J. J., & Nutt, D. J. (2011). Autonomic dysregulation and the window of tolerance model of the effects of complex emotional trauma. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 25(1), 17-25. Lebowitz, E. R., Panza, K. E., & Bloch, M. H. (2016). Family accommodation in obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders: A five-year update. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 16(1), 45-53. Shahan, T. A. (2022). Explaining extinction and relapse. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 117(3), 360-375.  Siegel, D. J. (2012). The developing mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are (2nd ed.). Guilford Press. ********************************** All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.